NAB reports (Mar-Dec 1933)

The National Association of Broadcasters NATIONAL PRESS BUILDING ***** WASHINGTON, D. C. PHILIP G. LOUCKS, Managing Director NAB REPORTS * Cwrllht 1933. The Natienal Anxieties et Breadeuten Vol. 1 No. 43 NOV. 11, 1933 BOARD MEETING AT WASHINGTON The reorganization meeting of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Broadcasters was held at the Mayflower Hotel, Washington, D. C., Thursday, November 9. President McCosker presided. The following were present: John Shepard III, I. D. Levy, H. K. Carpenter, William S. Hedges, I. R. Lounsberry, Lambdin Kay, W. Wright Gedge, J. Thomas Lyons, Arthur B. Church, Walter J. Damm, Ed B. Craney, Henry A. Bellows, J. Truman Ward, Frank M. Russell, I. Z. Buckwalter, and Philip G. Loucks, Managing Director. Mr. Levy submitted an oral report on copyright activities of the NAB since the convention. He said returns from his request for funds to carry on the copyright campaign had been satis¬ factory and that stations seemed to agree that the payment of 10 per cent of the amount paid monthly to the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers was a proper basis for assessment for copyright funds. He was unable, however, to predict what amount would be realized. Both Mr. Levy and J. C. Hostetler, law partner of Hon. Newton D. Baker, reported briefly on the status of the dissolution suit filed by Station WIP, Philadelphia, Pa., against the Society, point¬ ing out that the Society had filed its answer and that the case would undoubtedly go down for hearing. Mr. Hostetler said that it would be necessary to call for information from stations as his firm proceeded with the preparation of the case and expressed the hope that stations would cooperate liberally in this effort. Mr. Levy reported that he had several informal conferences with publisher and composer members of the Society since the White Sulphur Springs meeting with a view to learning the Society’s attitude toward a revision of present contracts under which the royalty would be assessed only upon programs using music. He said these conferences had not progressed very far, and that the way was open for further conferences. He explained that he would not endeavor to bind the industry to any agreement that might be reached, but would report his activities to the Board at the next meeting. The Board then took up the matter of the reappointment of Oswald F. Schuette and voted to continue his services on a re¬ tainer basis. Mr. Schuette explained that he did not desire to continue as NAB copyright director since he had developed plans for a more general campaign against the licensing practices of the Society not only as these practices related to radio but as they also related to restaurants, theaters, hotels and other users of copy¬ righted music. He remains, however, as President of the Radio Program Foundation which was created by the NAB to build up an independent reservoir of music. The status of the Radio Program Foundation was discussed and it was pointed out that this organization was under the manage¬ ment and direction of a separate Board of Trustees and that the affairs of that unit would be considered at the next meeting of the Trustees. The Managing Director then laid before the Board a draft of the Code of Fair Competition for the Broadcasting Industry, ex¬ plaining that Deputy Administrator Sol A. Rosenblatt was pre¬ pared to lay the code before the President for signature upon receipt of reports from the various divisions of the National Recovery Administration. The conferences of the past several weeks, and the results of such conferences, were explained, and the provisions of the code in its present form were explained. The Board voted to recommend the code as presented to the industry and authorized and directed President McCosker to sign it on behalf of the Board of Directors. The code is now being printed and official prints will be ready for distribution just as soon as President Roosevelt signs it. It is expected that the President’s signature will be affixed to the code within the next few days. The Managing Director laid before the Board a letter from Leo B. Tyson of Los Angeles, Calif., tendering his resignation from the Board because he is no longer connected with a radio station. The Board accepted the resignation of Mr. Tyson and elected C. W. Myers, KOIN, Portland, Ore., to fill Mr. Tyson’s unexpired term of approximately two years. In connection with the report and recommendations of James W. Baldwin, relating to the international aspects of broadcasting, and adopted at the annual meeting, the Board adopted a resolu¬ tion authorizing the Executive Committee to make the necessary investigations and preparations looking toward the adoption by the Government of proposals concerning regional and international agreements and treaties affecting radio broadcasting and to employ such personnel and make such expenditures as are necessary to accomplish this purpose. The Board took up the recommendations contained in the report of the Engineering Committee adopted at the annual convention and approved a motion authorizing the Executive Committee to employ such technical assistance as is required to fulfill obligations to standardize technical surveys; to promote activities already under way leading to establishment of standards of broadcasting operation and to improvement in operating technique, and to per¬ form such other duties as may arise. Routine resolutions authorizing the Managing Director to de¬ posit and disburse moneys of the Association were adopted. The Managing Director then laid before the Board certain communications from Station WFBL, Syracuse, N. Y., relating to a threatened suit under the Civil Rights law of New York State, under which it claimed that private citizens are protected in their right of privacy against use of their names in commercial radio programs. The matter was discussed at length and it was decided that since the question was one affecting New York sta¬ tions alone, that it should be referred to the New York State Committee. The Managing Director then placed before the Board certain correspondence in connection with the recent WIBO case which suggested the employment of someone to secure passage of legisla¬ tion designed to amend the radio laws. The correspondence was considered and the questions raised therein discussed but it was decided that in view of the lack of funds that the Association could not act favorably upon the recommendation contained in the letter transmitting the correspondence. The Managing Director called the attention of the Board of Directors to the very heavy demand being made upon NAB headquarters for debate material on the negative side of the national debate question, “Resolved that the United States adopt the essential features of the British system of radio operation and control.” He pointed out that he had mimeographed several hun¬ dred copies of an article prepared by Dr. Herman S. Hettinger of the Wharton School of Commerce, University of Pennsylvania, but that the increased demands for material from high school and college students made it necessary for the Association to compile and publish debate material to meet these requests. He announced that arrangements for publication had been completed and the Board authorized him to defray the expenses of printing and mailing. The Managing Director called attention of the Board to the proposal to encourage the Post Office Department to make a nation wide count of radio receiving sets, pointing out that certain Government departments, including the Federal Radio Commis¬ sion, had indicated an interest in such survey. The communica¬ tion from the Department of Commerce setting forth the condi • Page 219*